Frisco, a fast-growing corporate hub in Collin County north of Dallas, prices daycare at the top of the Texas range, tracking high household incomes and corporate relocations. Starwood and Newman Village set the top of the local range, while east and downtown Frisco sit lower. Texas leans on its Child Care Services subsidy and public pre-K rather than a state tax credit.
Reviewed by: a credentialed early-childhood reviewer (pending assignment).
In 2026 dollars, full-time center-based daycare in Frisco, Texas runs roughly $1,250 to $1,750 per month for infant care and roughly $1,050 to $1,450 per month for preschool-age care, which puts Frisco at the top of the Texas range, among the most expensive markets in the state. Licensed family child care typically charges 15 to 25 percent less than centers in the same part of town. These ranges come from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices for Collin County and the Texas market rate survey, not single-point averages.
Infant care in Frisco prices 20 to 30 percent above preschool-age care because of staffing ratios. Texas sets a tighter caregiver-to-infant ratio for the youngest infants than for preschoolers, so a center pays more adults to cover an infant room than a preschool room. That arithmetic keeps the infant line the most expensive item in any Frisco center's budget, per 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
| Area | Infant, center | Preschool, center | Family child care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starwood, Stonebriar | $1,610–$1,750 / month | $1,330–$1,450 / month | $1,285–$1,400 / month |
| Newman Village | $1,530–$1,670 / month | $1,260–$1,380 / month | $1,215–$1,330 / month |
| Phillips Creek Ranch | $1,450–$1,590 / month | $1,190–$1,310 / month | $1,150–$1,265 / month |
| Frisco Lakes, West Frisco | $1,360–$1,490 / month | $1,120–$1,235 / month | $1,085–$1,195 / month |
| The Trails, central Frisco | $1,290–$1,410 / month | $1,075–$1,180 / month | $1,040–$1,145 / month |
| Original Downtown, East Frisco | $1,250–$1,370 / month | $1,050–$1,150 / month | $1,015–$1,115 / month |
These ranges reflect licensed care, not unlicensed arrangements or subsidized seats. Starwood, Stonebriar, and Newman Village sit at the top of the range, tracking higher household incomes and newer development. East and downtown Frisco sit lower. The spread across Frisco is real, so both your child's age and your neighborhood move the bill.
Yes, for eligible four-year-olds. Texas funds public pre-K for qualifying four-year-olds through Frisco Independent School District, with eligibility based on income, English-learner status, military family status, and a few other categories, per the Texas Education Agency. The program is free for families who qualify and follows the school calendar.
For younger children there is no universal free option, though federal Head Start and Early Head Start serve income-eligible families from birth to five across Frisco. Because public pre-K eligibility is category-based and starts at age four, most Frisco families pay private tuition through the infant, toddler, and three-year-old years, which makes birth to four the costly stretch unless a family qualifies for a subsidy or pre-K seat.
Heads up. Frisco is among the most expensive daycare markets in Texas, and the infant years are the steepest. Licensed infant rooms in Starwood and Newman Village fill early because tight infant ratios limit seats and family growth is fast. Plan for full private tuition for the under-four years, apply for Texas Child Care Services through the local workforce board if you are income-eligible, and check Frisco ISD public pre-K eligibility for your four-year-old.
Texas helps income-eligible working families through the Child Care Services program, administered by the Texas Workforce Commission and the local Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas board under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. The subsidy pays a participating provider directly, with an income-based parent co-pay, so parents can work, attend school, or train. Frisco families apply through the local workforce board and can choose a Texas Rising Star-rated provider.
Texas does not offer a state child care tax credit, since the state has no income tax, so the standout local cost reducers are Child Care Services and public pre-K rather than a credit, per the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Education Agency. When you tour a center in Starwood, Phillips Creek Ranch, or downtown Frisco, ask about its state license status and its Texas Rising Star rating first, since the rating signals quality and a participating provider is what makes the subsidy and the federal credits usable.
With no state income tax and no state credit, three federal tools do the tax work for Frisco families: the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit on IRS Form 2441, a Dependent Care FSA at many employers (up to $5,000 per household per year in pre-tax savings), and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child. Stacked with Child Care Services or public pre-K, these credits narrow the gap on a Frisco tuition bill.
Large Frisco employers, including Keurig Dr Pepper, T-Mobile, the Dallas Cowboys at The Star, and the PGA of America, often offer a Dependent Care FSA through payroll. A two-earner household that funds the full $5,000 FSA typically saves roughly $1,100 to $1,500 in federal tax, then adds the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit of $600 to $1,200 and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child on top, per Internal Revenue Service rules.
A two-income Starwood family with a one-year-old in full-time licensed center care spends roughly $1,610 to $1,750 per month, or about $19,320 to $21,000 per year, per the National Database of Childcare Prices for Collin County and the Texas market rate survey.
If the family is income-eligible for Texas Child Care Services through Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, the cost drops to an income-based parent co-pay at a participating provider.
If the family is over the income limit, the full private rate stands until public pre-K at age four for those who qualify. A Dependent Care FSA recovers $5,000 in pre-tax savings, the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit recovers another $600 to $1,200, and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child stacks on top.
Why is daycare so expensive in Frisco?
High household incomes, fast family growth, and tight infant ratios push Frisco to the top of the Texas range, with licensed infant care running roughly $1,250 to $1,750 per month at centers, per the National Database of Childcare Prices for Collin County and the Texas market rate survey. Corporate relocations have raised demand faster than licensed infant seats have opened, which keeps the infant line especially steep.
How do I apply for Texas Child Care Services in Frisco?
Apply through Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas, the local board that administers Child Care Services for income-eligible working, training, or in-school families under the Texas Workforce Commission and the federal Child Care and Development Fund, per the state. Approved families choose a participating provider and pay an income-based co-pay; choosing a Texas Rising Star-rated provider pairs the subsidy with a public quality signal.
Walk through the cost calculator to model your own Frisco year with Child Care Services, public pre-K, the FSA, and the federal credits factored in. Read our subsidized daycare guide and the daycare tax credit explainer, then compare nearby Collin County markets in Plano and McKinney. For listings and the full local landscape, see daycare in Frisco overall.
How Plano tuition compares, area by area, under the same Texas subsidy system.
Read → Nearby costCollin County pricing by area, plus Child Care Services and public pre-K.
Read → ToolModel your Frisco daycare year with Child Care Services, public pre-K, and the federal credits factored in.
Open →